Declares Isaiah, The Lord God...
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Declares Isaiah, "The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary."
"... to sustain with a word him that is weary." Isaiah may have done it with a word, but we do it -- or try to do it -- with many words. Indeed often our words are so many; they are like cars on a super highway. People begin, as with the cars, to take them for granted and pay but little attention to them. Part of what is involved in regaining the power of words, suggests Henry Nouwen, is more aggressively insisting on and guarding the silence out of which they emerge. He suggests, "... silence is the discipline by which the inner fire of God is tended and kept alive." And he adds, "... when the word calls forth the healing and restoring stillness of its own silence, few words are needed: Much can be said without much being spoken."
"... to sustain with a word him that is weary." Isaiah may have done it with a word, but we do it -- or try to do it -- with many words. Indeed often our words are so many; they are like cars on a super highway. People begin, as with the cars, to take them for granted and pay but little attention to them. Part of what is involved in regaining the power of words, suggests Henry Nouwen, is more aggressively insisting on and guarding the silence out of which they emerge. He suggests, "... silence is the discipline by which the inner fire of God is tended and kept alive." And he adds, "... when the word calls forth the healing and restoring stillness of its own silence, few words are needed: Much can be said without much being spoken."
